


Beep the Horn

by kikikryslee



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Best Friends, Drunken Confessions, First Kiss, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Halloween, Halloween Costumes, Happy Ending, Love Confessions, M/M, No Smut
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-10-11
Updated: 2015-10-11
Packaged: 2018-04-25 14:19:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,959
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4963987
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kikikryslee/pseuds/kikikryslee
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“Listen, I’ve tried to be helpful," Niall said. "But it's been three years. It’s time for you to make the move. There’s only so much encouraging I can do before it starts to get repetitive. And annoying.”<br/>“I feel so loved,” Louis deadpanned.<br/>“Of course we love you, Lou,” Zayn said. “We just need you to tell Harry how you feel so you can stop feeling so down on yourself.”<br/>---<br/>Or, the one where Harry dresses as Miley Cyrus for Halloween, and Louis is the tiniest bit in love with him.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Beep the Horn

**Author's Note:**

  * For [littlepinkbow](https://archiveofourown.org/users/littlepinkbow/gifts).



> OK, so I volunteered to pinch hit for this story, and I'm so glad I did. I had a lot of fun writing this. 
> 
> Based on this prompt: Flashback to Miley Harry in Japan. When Harry shows up at the party as Miley with Paul dressed as Robin, Louis sort of gives him a bit of a side eye about it. They're just friends and Louis or Harry have never admitted to feelings about each other. A few drinks into the night, Louis confronts Harry and asks why he didn't ask him to be his Robin. Harry's confused and Louis finally shouts at him that he's in love with him.
> 
> I made it more of an AU, and because of that, changed Paul to Jonny, and made it not set in Japan. Everything else is the same. I hope that's OK! 
> 
> Thank you so much to my awesome beta [Michelle](http://mirrorlouis.tumblr.com/) for doing this so quickly for me! 
> 
> It's just so fluffy. But that's pretty much my forte, so... Enjoy!
> 
>  
> 
> **DO NOT post this story or any of my other stories on any other websites. I'm not comfortable with that, and I hope that you can please respect that. If you see any of my stories on another website, please let me know. I am also NOT currently authorizing translations of any of my stories at this time. I hope you can respect that, as well. Thank you!**

“Miley Cyrus.”

“Yeah.”

“Miley Cyrus?”

Harry started to pout. “Well geez, Lou, don’t act like you totally hate the idea.”

“I mean, yay! You’re gonna be Miley Cyrus for Halloween! That’s great!”

“Dick.”

“What do you want from me?” Louis asked. “That’s a ridiculous idea. I’m either gonna show my dislike for it or I’m gonna be fake-enthusiastic. There’s no in between.”

“I should know you enough by now to know that, too.”

“You really should,” Louis agreed. “It’s only been three years of friendship.”

“Don’t know what I was thinking, really. Just for that, I’m gonna put it on for you and make you see it.”

“Please don’t.”

“Too late!”

Harry stood up and walked down the hallway to his bedroom.

The two of them were in the apartment that they shared ten minutes from their college campus. It was small and cramped, but it was theirs.

They had signed their lease nearly three months ago, and it was singlehandedly the most exciting thing Louis had ever done, including the past three years of college.

It meant even more that Harry was his roommate. The two of them had been best friends since they were partnered up for a project in their Introduction to Piano class the first semester of freshman year. Harry had taken the course as a requirement for his Music Composition major. Louis, an English major who had played the piano since he was a kid, had taken it for fun.

They had to work together to create a short, original piece as their final project. They wound up getting an ‘A’ on it, and became friends in the process.

Now that they were roommates, though, Louis found it harder to insist to their friends that their relationship was purely platonic.

See, Louis was the slightest bit in love with his best friend. He knew it was clichéd, but it wasn’t his fault. Harry was just so… magnetic.

Louis couldn’t help developing feelings for him. Whenever Louis had a problem, Harry was there to fix it by listening to Louis rant and giving helpful advice. Whenever Louis was stressed, Harry was there to relieve it, either with good food, a movie or alcohol. And whenever Louis was horny, well, Harry was unknowingly there to help by providing Louis with plenty of wanking material.

Like when Harry walked out of the bathroom after his shower with his towel around his hair instead of his waist. Or when Harry wore his tight jeans that showed off every curve that Louis just wanted to caress. Or hell, even when Harry ate and stuck his tongue out of his open mouth before taking in the food.

Louis knew he was a bit pathetic, and Liam, Niall and Zayn made sure to remind him of that fact at every possible opportunity. But now that he and Harry were roommates, the last thing he wanted to do was make it awkward between them if Harry had no interest in him whatsoever.

Louis got comfortable on the couch and waited for Harry to show him his costume. He wasn’t sure which Miley Cyrus Harry was going for. Just, dear God, as long as it wasn’t-

“Here we go! What do you think?”

Louis turned his head just as Harry walked back into the living room. He felt his jaw drop.

Harry was going as motherfucking VMAs Miley Cyrus.

He was wearing tiny, tan spandex shorts and had a white foam finger on his right hand. He had pulled his long, brown hair up into two space buns at the top of his head and put black tape over his top two nipples.

As Harry turned in a circle to let Louis see him from all angles, Louis saw that the top of the shorts clung to his hips, accentuating the small love handles Harry had, despite his flat abs and developing v-line. The shorts also hugged his thighs, which Louis had always wanted to bite into before, but now…

Louis wanted to get down on his knees right then and there.

“You look ridiculous,” he said instead.

Harry pouted again. “I thought I did it all right. I even have the nipple tape. I have white shoes to wear with this, obviously.”

“No, it looks exactly like Miley; that’s probably the ridiculous part about it.”

“So you’re saying I look silly because I got the costume exactly right?”

“Kind of.”

“Well get over it, because I’m wearing it to Liam’s party on Saturday.”

“I have to go out in public with you like that?”

“Yup,” Harry nodded. “Deal. I’m gonna get changed. Do you want to order pizza tonight?”

“Sounds good. I have studying to get done for Russian Lit.”

“Good idea. You know what they say: pizza is good brain food.”

“Who says that?” Louis asked.

“I just did.”

Harry shrugged and went back to his room to get out of his costume.

Louis groaned at Harry’s attempt at humor. Sometimes he really didn’t know why his little crush was still going strong. But after seeing Harry in his costume, he knew it wasn’t going to be going away any time soon.

\---

“So what are you guys gonna be for Halloween?” Louis asked Niall and Zayn in their apartment the next day.

“We’re gonna be members of KISS,” Zayn answered. “If you want to, you can be a third.”

“Maybe. I don’t know; I’m just having no luck with my costume this year. Usually I have it nailed down by now.”

“Yeah, it’s on Saturday,” Niall stated. “I mean, that’s only four days away. You need to get your shit together, man.”

“Wow, I feel so motivated now. Thank you, Niall.”

“Any time.”

“What’s Harry being for Halloween?” Zayn wanted to know.

“Miley Cyrus from the VMAs.”

Niall and Zayn looked at each other and laughed.

“Are you serious?” Niall asked between his giggles.

“Oh, I’m totally serious. He showed me the costume yesterday. He has the fucking spandex shorts and everything.”

“Oh yeah? Did you come in your pants when you saw it?”

“No, fucker. I didn’t!”

“That’s such a Harry costume, though,” Zayn continued, ignoring Niall and Louis’ bickering. “You know what? He was probably planning the whole thing when we watched the awards last month. Just sitting there, eating his stupid orange, figuring out what store still sold spandex.”

“You should go as Robin Thicke,” Niall suggested.

“Why would I go as Robin Thicke?” Louis asked. “What the fuck would that do?”

“It would be the perfect reason to ask Harry to grind up against your crotch all night. Just tell him it’s to make the costume more realistic.”

“That’s sexual harassment…” Zayn thought out loud.

“Whatever. Louis, don’t act like you don’t want that to happen.”

“Well, of course, I want it to happen! But it’s not gonna happen  _that_  way.”

“And in what way is it gonna happen?” Niall pushed. “Because, it’s been three years, and you haven’t done anything yet.”

“I don’t know! Um… I want it to be something calm and relaxed. Just us, obviously. And, I don’t think it needs to be a big thing. I think that us hanging out, spending the day together, doing whatever we want would be a good way to break it to him.”

“‘Break it to him’?” Niall asked. “You’re telling him you love him, not that he has a fatal illness.”

“Well, what if he doesn’t take it well?” Louis cried out.

“And what if he does?”

“For the record,” Zayn interrupted, “we all think you should go for it. I know we make jokes about it all the time, but we really do think you two would be good together.”

“Thanks, Zayn. At least someone around here is helpful.”

Niall shrugged. “Listen, I’ve tried to be helpful. Now it’s time for you to make the move. There’s only so much encouraging I can do before it starts to get repetitive. And annoying.”

“I feel so loved,” Louis deadpanned.

“Of course we love you, Lou,” Zayn said. “We just need you to tell Harry how you feel so you can stop feeling so down on yourself.”

“What Zayn said.”

“Thanks, I guess.” Louis checked the time on his phone. “I have to get going. Harry’s class should be ending soon, and I have to go pick him up before we go to work.”

Louis and Harry both worked at the large bookstore on Main Street, in the center of town. They tried to get the same shifts, since it made commuting easier and the time go by quicker. It didn’t happen all the time, but when it did, it made going to work a little more bearable.

“Oh, that reminds me,” Niall started, “Louis, I forgot to tell you congratulations.”

“For what?”

“Being in the dictionary.”

“What are you talking about?”

“You know, next to the word ‘whipped.’ It’s just a picture of your smiling, Harry-loving face.”

“Oh, fuck off!” Louis yelled as Zayn burst into laughter.

“Just saying; Zayn’s my roommate, but he would never pick me up from campus after my class let out  _and_ take me to work.”

“Damn right I wouldn’t,” Zayn muttered.

“It’s just while his car is in the shop!” Louis insisted. “Once it’s fixed, he’ll get himself home and to work and anywhere else all by himself. I just don’t want him to have to take the bus if he doesn’t have to.”

“Whipped,” Niall whispered loudly.

“Fuck you. I’ll see you guys later.”

“Love you, too, Lou!” Zayn called out as he walked out the front door.

Louis went down to the parking lot and jumped in his car.

He made the ten-minute drive over to campus and parked in the commuter lot to wait until Harry got out of his class.

While he sat there, he thought about what the hell he was going to wear for Halloween. He could just go with Niall and Zayn, and the three of them could form an almost-KISS group.

He was sure he had a Spider-Man T-shirt somewhere in his closet. He could wear that and his glasses and go as Peter Parker, as long as he wore a button-up over the T-shirt, of course.

Or he could wear just the button-up and get some tube socks and go as Tom Cruise from  _Risky Business_. It was supposed to be sort of warm on Saturday. He could make it work.

But then the thought of going as Robin Thicke reappeared in Louis’ mind. He knew that he personally wouldn’t be caught dead in an unappealing pinstripe suit, but what if someone else did?

What if somebody went to the party dressed as Robin Thicke and Harry spent all of his time with them? What if Harry danced with them and they fell in love? What if they got married and had babies, leaving Louis behind in the dust, all because Louis couldn’t grow a pair and ask Harry out?

“Hey!” Harry announced as he opened the door and got inside the car.

Louis jumped. “Shit! You need to come into this car way more quietly than that!”

“I’m like, five minutes late. You should’ve known I was coming.”

“Still…”

“What were you thinking about? You looked pretty focused in on something. And a little grumpy, too.”

“Nothing,” Louis answered as he turned the key in the ignition.

“You were thinking about something. Tell me. What’s wrong?”

“Nothing; I’m fine.”

Harry jumped across the console and threw his fist on the steering wheel, loudly beeping the horn.

“Stop!” Louis protested.

It was a habit that Harry had picked up sometime during their sophomore year. Whenever they were in the car, and Louis didn’t want to talk or was being annoying or too loud or anything else that Harry didn’t like, Harry would beep the horn, knowing that it would draw attention to the car and embarrass Louis.

Louis absolutely hated it, and Harry knew that. But it got Louis to talk, so at least it served its purpose.

He pushed Harry off, looking around to see if anybody had heard the horn and looked over.

Thankfully, only a few people who were looking around the lot for their cars glanced their way.

Louis waved at them and smiled before glaring at Harry.

“Stop that.”

“Then tell me what’s wrong,” Harry countered.

“Fine. I don’t know what to be for Halloween.”

“That’s it?”

“Yeah, I guess that’s it. I don’t know; it’s annoying that I haven’t thought of anything yet.”

“You will. You work best under pressure, remember?”

Louis smiled at his roommate. Harry knew him so well. Louis supposed knowing someone for three years would do that.

“Yeah, but I want it to be something cool.”

“Listen, not every costume can be as good as my Miley one.”

Louis rolled his eyes. “Oh, shut up.” He threw the car in reverse and backed out of his spot, heading for the bookstore.

\---

On Thursday night, Liam, Niall and Zayn went over to Louis and Harry’s apartment to watch a few scary movies.

Harry walked out of the kitchen carrying two bowls of popcorn. He gave one to Liam and Zayn, who were lying on a blanket on the carpeted floor in front of the couch. He gave the second one to Niall, who was lounging on the armchair, his legs thrown casually over the side.

“I’m glad you’re so comfortable here, man,” Louis commented.

Niall shrugged a shoulder as he tossed a few pieces of popcorn in his mouth. “I can get comfortable anywhere.”

“I see that.”

Harry came back a moment later with another bowl for him and Louis to share.

He sat down on the couch next to Louis, putting the dish between them.

“OK, are we ready?” Louis asked, looking around to his friends.

They all nodded and Louis hit the ‘Play’ button on the remote to the DVD player.

“What are we watching again?” Liam asked.

“The first  _Scream_ ,” Louis answered. “It’s been a while since I’ve seen it.”

As the movie started, he stretched his feet out in front of him and threw an arm over the back of the couch.

Louis reached over and grabbed some popcorn as Drew Barrymore’s character, Casey Becker, received her first phone call from Ghostface.

The five of them watched quietly as Casey answered a question wrong, and her boyfriend was killed right in front of her eyes. Then she started crying and tried to run, but the killer caught up to her and she suffered a similar fate.

After Casey’s parents found her, and the movie transitioned to Neve Campbell, aka Sidney Prescott, and her friends, Harry got off the couch and walked down the hallway.

Louis looked after him, waiting in his seat for Harry to return.

When he did, he was holding a blanket in his arms. He sat down Indian style and draped the blanket across his chest, covering his lap.

“I’m cold,” Harry whispered to Louis, who was still watching him.

“I see.”

Louis also saw that Harry was sitting closer to him, but he wasn’t going to comment on that.

The movie continued, and as Sidney watched those close to her – and some not that close – perish at the hands of Ghostface, Harry and Louis got closer together.

Louis got up to go to the bathroom just after Billy, played by Skeet Ulrich, got arrested and taken to prison. When he came back, he sat down right next to Harry, their bowl of popcorn forgotten on the floor.

After Rose McGowan’s character, Tatum, got caught in the garage with the killer, Harry changed positions so that he was sitting sideways on the couch, with his back leaning against Louis and his feet propped up on the arm of the sofa.

“You comfortable?” Louis asked softly.

Harry nodded and smiled up at Louis.

Louis quickly ran a hand through Harry’s hair before returning his attention to the movie.

Harry rested his head against Louis’ shoulder, watching as Courteney Cox’s character Gale got into her car and tried to drive away. A few minutes later, Harry took Louis’ arm, which was still lying on the back of the couch, and pulled it down and around his chest. He snuggled back against Louis and closed his eyes.

He was asleep before Billy and Stu, aka Matthew Lillard, revealed that they were the killers the whole time.

It was at this point that Niall looked over and snorted. “Really?”

Zayn and Liam heard his comment and looked over their shoulders. Zayn started shaking his head while Liam laughed.

“Shut up or you’re all kicked out,” Louis threatened.

“How are you gonna get us out of here?” Liam grinned. “You can’t get up without waking up Harry.”

Louis glanced down at his roommate, who was snoring softly as he slept.

He tried to defend Harry. “He had a long day.”

“Oh did he?” Zayn asked.

“Yeah. He had an 8 a.m. class and he worked five hours at the bookstore. And in between those two, he had to do some studying for a test he has next week.”

“Thanks for the explanation.”

“So if he had an 8 a.m. class, does that mean that you had to be up to take him to campus?” Niall wondered.

Louis stayed silent, trying to focus on Sidney and Gale saving the day.

“That’s a ‘yes,’” Zayn said.

The three of them chuckled at Louis, who just rolled his eyes.

“Do you want us to leave?” Liam asked kindly. “Let Harry sleep?”

“No, no.” Louis shook his head. “He’ll be fine. We can watch another movie; it’s OK.”

They let the subject drop, returning their attention to the final minutes of the film.

Louis caught Niall glancing over at them again before the credits started rolling.

He just ignored it.

\---

Louis walked into Liam’s party on Saturday with Niall and Zayn right behind him.

He’d had to work that afternoon, so he decided to take his stuff with him and then go over to Niall and Zayn’s to get ready.

He’d finally settled on going as another member of KISS with the two of them, so once he got to their apartment, they all helped each other apply their face paint.

Louis had won the battle to go as [The Demon](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kiss_\(band\)#/media/File:KISS_devil_face.svg), so he walked in with black, spider-web like designs over his eyes and white paint over the rest of his face.

Zayn was [The Spaceman](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kiss_\(band\)#/media/File:KISS_space_ace_face.svg) and had silver designs over his eyes that sort of resembled the speech bubbles in comic books.

And Niall was [The Starchild](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kiss_\(band\)#/media/File:KISS_starchild_face.svg), so he had one big black star over his right eye. He had refused to wear the red lipstick that went with it, though.

The three of them were in all black outfits, and had quiffed their hair up. It was the closest to ‘glam rock hair’ they would get that evening without wigs.

They got to the apartment that Liam shared with his girlfriend Sophia. It was a little farther out from campus than theirs were: about twenty minutes away, close to the outskirts of town. It was a little bigger than Louis and Harry’s, but only had one bedroom.

Louis saw that almost everybody was there already.

Liam’s sisters were there, dressed in T-shirts that said ‘Thing One’ and ‘Thing Two.’ They had on red skirts, red and white striped tights and blue sneakers. They’d also sprayed temporary blue dye on their hair.

Three people that Louis remembered from Sophia’s birthday party had gone as Harry, Ron and Hermione from Harry Potter. All three of them had wands in their hands and wore long, black robes, with black loafers peeking out from underneath.

Sophia’s sister Zoe was there, too, as an Olympic gymnast. She wore a red leotard and white flip-flops, with a long medal around her neck.

There were about ten other people that Louis didn’t recognize that were milling about. But he didn’t see Harry.

Louis instantly worried about whether or not he was supposed to pick him up. Harry hadn’t mentioned anything about needing a ride earlier this morning when Louis said he would be going to Niall and Zayn’s apartment first.

He had driven separately from them, so, if he needed to, he  _could_  go get Harry.

He was about to take his phone out and text him to make sure, but then Zayn was calling over to Liam.

“You look great, man,” Zayn complimented.

“Well, thank you.”

Liam had gone as David Beckham, which was easy enough, since Liam basically  _was_  a younger David.

He wore Beckham’s Manchester United jersey, with black workout shorts, black socks and red cleats.

“Sophia’s dressed as Victoria,” Liam said. “You’ll probably see her around. She’s wearing a short wig and a black, strapless dress, and has a serious pout on her face.”

“I’m gonna get her to break character tonight,” Niall decided. “I’ll get her to smile at least once.”

“Good luck,” Liam wished. “She’s been practicing her Posh face for weeks.”

“Challenge accepted.”

Liam and Niall shook on it.

“Well go get a drink,” Liam told them. “You know where everything is. I’m gonna do another lap to make sure everyone’s good, but I’ll catch up with you.”

The three of them nodded and turned around, starting to make their way through the small crowd so they could get to the kitchen. Before they reached it, though, Louis heard Harry come in. He would recognize that loud giggle anywhere.

He looked over to the door and saw Harry, dressed in all his Miley glory, walking in.

And then his friend Jonny came in right behind him, dressed in a white and black pinstripe suit, black dress shirt and black sneakers. His hair was slicked back, and he had dark sunglasses covering his eyes.

Louis stared, confused at what Jonny was supposed to be. It seemed familiar, but he couldn’t figure out why.

The costume looked like it was supposed to be Beetlejuice, but since Jonny didn’t have the crazy hair, he knew that wasn’t it.

He watched as Harry and Jonny walked a little farther inside and started talking to some other people.  
Harry was  _glowing,_ likely because of the compliments he was surely getting on his costume. Louis would easily agree with them. Harry looked fantastic.

Louis knew that Harry was the only guy who could really pull that costume off. And Harry knew it, too.

He checked to see where Niall and Zayn were, and once he realized that the two of them had gone to the kitchen without bothering to wait for him, Louis started to walk toward Harry.

But then Harry stood in front of Jonny, bent over and started grinding back on him.

That’s when it hit him. Jonny was fucking VMAs Robin Thicke. And it had Louis seeing red.

He stood there, his fists balled up, watching as Harry stood up a few seconds later, laughing without a care in the world.

Harry hadn’t mentioned that Jonny was coming, too, and Louis wondered why. It wasn’t like Louis had a problem with Jonny. He’d been one of Harry’s best friends since the two of them were kids.

Was Jonny’s partner costume supposed to be a surprise? If so, it was one that Louis didn’t like.

“Lou, there you are,” Niall said as he and Zayn walked back up to him. “Here, grabbed you a beer.”

“Thanks.” Louis took the bottle and took a long swig from it.  
“Whoa, slow down,” Zayn cautioned. “We just got here.”

“Yeah, well…”

“Hey, guys!” Harry greeted, walking up to them. “You all remember Jonny, right?”

Zayn and Niall nodded. Louis took another drink.

“Are you Jack Skellington or something?” Niall asked. “You need some face paint, if you are. I might have some down in my truck if you want some.”

Jonny shook his head. “No, not Jack Skellington. Robin Thicke, from the VMAs.”

“Oh, yeah!” Zayn and Niall realized at the same time.

Louis stayed silent; instead, he turned his head to ignore the confused look Harry was giving him.

“That’s pretty clever,” Zayn complimented.

“Thanks.”

“Have you seen Liam?” Harry wanted to know.

“He’s off being a perfect host, as always,” Niall answered. “He’s around here somewhere.”

“OK. We’re gonna go find him and say hello.”

“Cool. We’ll probably still be here.”

With one more look at still-silent Louis, Harry led Jonny toward the back of the apartment to find Liam.

Zayn and Niall at least had the decency not to say anything.

“You want another beer?” Zayn asked Louis instead.

Louis drained the rest of his bottle before handing it to Zayn. “Yeah. Thanks.”

\---

Louis spent the rest of the party sulking.

He tried to have fun, but he couldn’t distract himself enough to forget that Harry was just a few feet away, nearly naked and bending over in front of another guy a few times each hour.

Louis chose to drown his annoyance and frustration in beer.

He was on his fifth before he talked to Harry again.

It was just after eleven, and Louis excused himself to Liam’s balcony to get some air. The amount of people in the apartment had seemed to double in the two hours since he’d arrived.

Either that, or he was starting to see double from his alcohol intake.

He leaned against the railing, a half-empty bottle clutched loosely in his hands, and took a deep breath.

He heard the door slide open behind him.

He didn’t need to look to know that it was Harry who had come outside.

“There you are,” Harry said. He leaned against the railing next to Louis, and glanced over at his face. “I feel like I haven’t seen you all night.”

“Hmm,” Louis hummed.

“I like your costumes. If I wasn’t Miley, I would’ve gone as your fourth KISS member.”

“Thanks.”

Harry nodded and looked out over the railing.

Liam had a cool view. There was a small part of a city skyline in the far background, and a lot of trees in between. There was also a highway a few miles out, but there wasn’t a lot of noise coming off it tonight.

“You look great, too,” Louis complimented.

Harry grinned. “Thanks. I think it looks better with Jonny’s costume, too, you know?”

“Oh, yeah. Where is Beetlejuice?” Louis asked.

Harry rolled his eyes. “He’s mingling with people. Mr. Social, you know.”

“Right, right.”

Louis tipped his head back and downed the rest of his beer.

“Are you having fun?” Harry asked.

Louis shrugged.

“So, no?”

“It’s cool. Liam and Sophia always throw a good party.”

“So why do you look so sad?”

“No reason.”

Harry sighed. “Louis, you act like I don’t know you or something.”

“Why didn’t you ask me to be Robin?” Louis said, his words seeming to fly out of his mouth without Louis’ brain giving them permission.

Harry stared at him for a moment before confusedly asking, “Huh?”

“Why didn’t you ask me to be Robin? You asked Jonny. How come?”

“I don’t know… It seemed weird to ask you.”

“Why?”

“Because it sort of seemed like a couples’ costume or something, you know what I mean?”

“You’re not dating Jonny, though. So there goes that argument.”

“I know.”

“Using that logic, you could’ve asked me to be Robin, since we’re not dating, either.”

“Yeah, I guess so,” Harry said softly.

“Besides, I would’ve looked way better as Robin.”

“Now you’re just getting petty.”

Louis snorted. “Am not. For one, my hair would’ve looked much better than that. His looks all greasy. And I would’ve filled out that suit way better. He’s so lanky. I mean, come on. My thighs and ass in pinstripes? That’s everyone’s dream right there.”

“Louis, how much have you had?” Harry wondered.

“Not enough to deal with this, that’s for sure.”

“Why are you so mad about this fucking costume?”

Louis stared, slightly taken aback. Harry never swore at him. Ever.

“And why do you keep ragging on Jonny?” Harry continued. “So he dressed as Robin Thicke. So the two of you would’ve looked different in the suit. Why do you fucking care?”

“I  _don’t_  care.”

“I beg to differ.”

“Well, you’d be wrong.”  
Harry shook his head. “I don’t agree.”

“With… Wait, what?”

“Just tell me what your damage is, Louis.”

“I don’t have damage,” Louis insisted.

“I’ll start yelling.”

“What? Why?”

“Because we’re not in the car, so I can’t beep the horn. So I’ll yell. People will look and see what’s going on, and it’ll be super embarrassing.”

“Did you ever stop to think about what this is doing to me?” Louis replied. “What seeing you dressed like… that… would do to me? Do you realize that seeing you walk around all happy-go-lucky, grinding on Jonny like it’s no big deal is killing me? It shouldn’t be Jonny that you’re dancing with. It should be me.”

“Louis, what-?”

“I love you,” Louis rushed. “I’m  _in_  love with you. I’m so fucking in love with you that it hurts, and I want to be Robin Thicke right now. And I know that sounds weird, but it’s true. I wish you were grinding on me and looking at me like I want you to.”

Harry had totally stilled, his gaze only on Louis.

“Shit, and now I made it awkward,” Louis said. “Not at all what I wanted to do.”

“Louis, you didn’t-“

“Fuck. Harry, forget I said anything.”

“Louis, listen… I-“

“I need to leave.”

Louis jumped back and opened the sliding door, ignoring Harry calling after him.

He left the apartment and hurried down his car. He unlocked it and slid into the driver’s seat.

Louis balled up his fists and pressed them against his forehead.

He couldn’t believe he just did that. He had admitted his feelings to Harry. Louis was sure that the look in Harry’s eyes after he said that was one of pity. Maybe even a little bit of secondhand embarrassment.

Now he would have to move out and find a new apartment and roommate, because Harry would never want to talk to him again, because Louis didn’t know how to tell people information in an appropriate way.

Louis rested his head against the top of the steering wheel and let out a long groan.

And then the door burst open.

“Jesus!” Louis yelled in annoyance as Harry got in the passenger seat, slamming after him. “Stop doing that to me!”

“Did you mean that?”

“Harry…” Louis sighed.

“Louis Tomlinson, tell me right now: did you mean that? When you said you loved me?”

“Harry, just go back to the party.”

“No.”

“Harry, come on.”

“You want me to beep the horn?” Harry threatened. “I’ll beep the horn. Don’t think I won’t.”

“No, don’t beep the damn horn.”

“I’m beeping the horn.”

Harry reached a hand over to the steering wheel, but Louis blocked it and pushed it back. Harry didn’t give up, though.

He lunged over, stretching both arms past Louis to try to beep the horn. Louis knocked them away to keep Harry from making a scene.

“Stop, Harry!”

“So answer the question!”

“Fine!” Louis yelled, gripping onto Harry’s arms, pinning them by his sides. “I fucking love you, OK?”

Harry stilled, staring at Louis’ face.

“You do?”

Louis nodded. “I do.”

He released Harry’s arms and leaned back in his seat.

He dropped his eyes to his fingers, which were fiddling with his keychain, the car key still hanging from the ignition.

Harry’s gaze never left Louis’ face.

“How long?” Harry finally asked.

“As long as I’ve known you, Haz. It’s always been you.”

“Good.”

Louis looked up at Harry, confused at what that was supposed to mean.

“Me, too.”

“What do you mean, ‘you, too’?” Louis asked.

“I mean, I feel the same way. I’ve felt the same way.”

“Are you saying…?”

“I’m saying that I have loved you since we were eighteen, Louis. And I mean that. I love that you can always make me laugh and smile, no matter what’s going on. You give the best cuddles out of anybody I’ve ever known. You’re so loving and considerate, and you just go out of your way to make me happy. I’ve wanted to ask you out for so long, but the timing was  _never_  right. And then when you asked if I wanted to be roommates, I knew I couldn’t do anything then. But I think the guys finally got sick of me whining and told me to get over it.”

“The guys? What guys?”

“Zayn, Niall and Liam,” Harry answered. “Niall basically told me to get my shit together and do something about my embarrassing crush.”

“Bastards,” Louis muttered under his breath.

“So I started dropping little hints to see if you actually wanted to be with me. Like, walking out of the bathroom without a towel.”

“That was intentional?”

“Of course it was. You didn’t think I just wandered around naked for no reason, did you?”

“Kind of. You love being naked.”

“Well… Yeah, I guess I do. But not those times. And then, always asking you how I looked when I was getting ready to go out. And of course, this costume. I figured this was the most obvious way to get your attention.”

“And Jonny?”

“That was his idea to go as Robin. It was totally last minute. I think he got sick of my complaining, too.”

Louis chuckled. “So basically, we’ve just been wasting time being idiots?”

“I think that’s exactly what’s been happening.”

“So, what do we do now?”

“Well,” Harry started, “I’ve been waiting three years for this, so I don’t think I’m waiting any more.”

“What-?

Louis was cut off as Harry leaned over and pressed their lips together.

Kissing Harry was something that Louis had wanted to do for a long time, but imagining it was nothing compared to the real thing.

Harry’s lips were pillowy soft, moving slowly against Louis’. Their lips molded together, immediately connecting like they were making up for lost time.

Louis moved a hand to cup Harry’s cheek. He heard Harry sigh as Louis’ thumb caressed the smooth skin there.

Harry licked across Louis’ bottom lip, and Louis parted them so that Harry could slip his tongue into Louis’ mouth.

Louis let out a soft moan as Harry’s tongue lightly massaged his own, and finally pulled back when he felt himself getting lightheaded.

“Can’t believe I’ve been missing out on that for three years,” Louis whispered.

“I was just thinking the same thing.”

“You have makeup all over your face.”

Harry shrugged. “Guess that’s the sign of a good night.”

“Can we go home now?”

Harry nodded. “I want to get changed. I think lots of cuddles are in order, and I’m not doing that in spandex.”

Louis snorted back a laugh. “OK. And maybe in the morning we can have a… boyfriend conversation?”

“Yes, please.”

Louis smiled. “I love you.”

“I love you, too. Now let me kiss you.”

As they leaned back into each other, Louis shifted in his seat. Before their lips met, Louis’ arm hit the horn, beeping it loudly.

They jumped apart, startled by the sudden noise.

“You beeped the horn,” Harry smirked.

“I did. I beeped the horn. But I think it’s OK to draw some attention to this, don’t you?”

Harry bit his lower lip and nodded slowly.

“Ready to go home?”

“Yeah. Let’s go… Boyfriend.”

“Thought we were having that conversation in the morning?”

“It’s been three years,” Harry said. “Why put it off another day?”

Louis agreed. He quickly kissed Harry again before turning in his seat.

“All right, then, Boyfriend. Let’s go home.”

**Author's Note:**

> That was such a cheesy ending. Did you like the '18' reference?  
> Fingers crossed that you liked it! It was such a good prompt!
> 
> Hit me up on [twitter](http://twitter.com/angelique_lee) or [tumblr](http://www.flamboyantommo.tumblr.com/) if you feel like it! If you follow me on either, let me know who you are so I definitely follow you back!


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